SPRINGFIELD CENTER-Mary Ellen Fenner, age 91, passed away peacefully on Thursday evening October 15, 2020 in her home. She was born on March 22, 1929 in Cooperstown, daughter of the late Carl Wilhelm and Mary Ives Morgan Nordgren. She was raised in Little Falls and was the valedictorian of the class of 1947 at Little Falls High School. She continued her education first at Oberlin College for two years and went on to graduate from CornellUniversity, class of 1951. She was also a graduate of Albany Business College, and became employed as an Executive Secretary at the General Electric Research Laboratory in Schenectady. On November 19, 1955 she was united in marriage to Donald M. Fenner in Little Falls. They made their home in Herkimer where she worked alongside her husband in their funeral home business while raising a family. She was an accomplished musician who, while in high school, played flute in the Little Falls Symphony and also performed the Greig Piano Concerto with the Symphony. Following her marriage, she taught piano and was a student of Utica's noted organ teacher Stephen Best and performed in many of his programs. For many years, she was the church organist, choir director and Sunday school teacher at the Herkimer Reformed Church. During this time she acquired a harpsichord on which she gave recitals at various area venues. In 1986, she and her husband retired to Springfield Center where she was church organist and choir director for both Saint Mary's Episcopal Church in Springfield Center and the Grace Episcopal Church in Cherry Valley. She had an exceptional sense of community. During her years in Herkimer she was elected a Village Trustee and served for 15 years on the Herkimer School District Board of Education, and the BOCES Board where she had been board president. To all who knew her, music was a large part of her life; she was a member of the B-Sharp Club of Utica, the Organists Guild, was the piano accompanist for the Mohawk Valley Choral Society, a member of the Glimmerglass Festival Guild and was a Coach Accompanist for several main stage singers in the early days of the Glimmerglass Opera. In 1987 and again 2005, she and her husband Don were the recipients of the Glimmerglass Opera Volunteer of the Year award. They were also honored in 1994 by Opera Volunteers International with their "Partners in Excellence" award. A caring lady with a wonderful sense of humor, she enjoyed being with her many friends and family and loved to entertain. Surviving is her husband of sixty-five years, Donald, two sons, Andrew C. Fenner of Santa Fe, NM, Peter H. Fenner and fiancé, Jennifer Scoby of East Peoria, IL, a daughter, Cynthia F. Staley and her husband David of Springfield Center, four grandchildren, Spencer E. Staley, James G. Fenner and his wife Kristin, Charles P. Fenner and David M. Fenner and several nieces, nephews and many cousins. A memorial service will be planned for a later date. Expressions of sympathy may be made viamemorial donation to the Chamber Music Society of Utica, PO Box 8149, Utica, NY 13505, The Glimmerglass Festival, PO Box 191, Cooperstown, NY 13326 or Helios Care, 297 River St Service Road, Suite 1, Oneonta, NY 13820. Funeral arrangements are with Fenner Funeral Home, Inc. Herkimer, NY. Pending Arrangements

Sunday, October 18, 2020